Jewish
 

An item listed on eBay currently has the title "1939 R303-B GOUDEY PREMIUM HANK GREENBERG - JEWISH"

Is the thought that people looking to buy cards of Jewish baseball players won't know Greenberg was Jewish or that people go into the cards category and do a title search for the word "Jewish?"

It's so the searches will pick it up.

Probably useless for somebody like Greenberg. Helps a lot with the bidding on the more obscure athletes, at least with what I deal with in boxing.

Definitely a shallow seller... Labels like that would cause me to look elsewhere for that Hank.

Personally
 

Personally I do my searches on "Mort" as all people named Mort are presumed Jewish. At least that is what I read somewhere :o.

There are a lot of collectors of Jewish players and adding the word "Jewish" to make sure you capture all potential buyers in the search function I don't see as shallow by the seller.

There is also a perception that well-to-do Jewish collectors will pay a premium for Jewish players.

Being Jewish myself, I don't have a problem with it. With that said, I agree with a previous post that it is probably useless for someone to add that to a Hank Greenberg listing.

For some reason this makes me think of the Seinfeld episode when Jerry goes out with a woman that shortened her name from Donna Changstein to Donna Chang and there was a lot of confusion!! Don't ask me why, but it does...

it makes me think of the anti-dentite episode...

Doesn't bother me at all. I'm not Jewish, but my next book is about a Jewish songwriter, and a lot of the archives that I have frequented celebrate being Jewish to the highest degree. Our friends in L.A. had a little get together after Passover last year, and being the counter-culture types, they showed me a magazine called "Heeb," which was really cool. Great review of a Fred Katz CD, one of the wildest beatnik jazz artists of the '50s.

Anyway, "Heeb" kind of reminded me of that women's magazine "Bust." In both cases, they are taking a word that might have been used in a pajorative sense in the past, and sort of celebrating it. Obviously wouldn't work for every word of that type, but in those cases, the irony made me laugh.

Next thing you know, you'll be saying they should have their own schools....

They do have their own schools!

I think there certainly are collectors who only collect Jewish players - I'm pretty certain they know Hank "Mort" Greenberg was Jewish.

I think all auctions on Grandslambids.com should be noted with the nationality/religion of origin.

Get right on that, OK? (LOL)

Matt- as I've said before my father's name is Morton...and he is Jewish.

Jim - we've got a forum for GrandSlamBids suggestions - go for it. ;)

The problem lies in the fact that "Greenberg" isn't exactly the most Jewish-sounding name. Kinda WASPy. I for one was educated by the seller's listing title. Thank you, kind stranger!

I agree with Tim. There are a lot of collectors of Jewish players, so adding the word "Jewish" so the seller finds all the buyers. It's just good marketing. Same as a certain auction house having hot women greet you as you enter the National. :D

P.S.

Unfortunately for the seller, I'm a poor Jew.

As a Mormon/LDS collector, I always appreciate it when a seller adds that to the title. I pretty much know who every Mormon player in history is, but I don't see how it should offend a "niche" collector.

is that listing actually offensive?

I must be out of touch.

I don't think anyone found it offensive; just gratuitous.

My collection focus's on players who are latvian orthodox...boy are these guys tough to find!

What about the guy from "Taxi" :)

Expect to pay big money for the Kavorka's rookie card.

George, what is it about Latvian Orthodox that you find most appealing?

George: I like the hats...

Did you say fodder?

Vost, yes...

Why not? What do I care?

I don't believe Latka Gravas was either Latvian or Orthodox. (But a great character, nonetheless!)

Dang! I thought I nailed it! By the way, which of the great cities in North Texas do you reside?

Latka was of no known origin, and spoke no recognizable language. But he was funny.

Best line from that episode:

Frank Costanza: Latvian Orthodox! Aren't those the people that go around mutilating squirrels?

Little confused here. Should I not point out that Leslie Uggams is African-American in the title line of my T206 listings on Ebay?

Incidentally, if you subscribe to Netflix, The documentary, "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg" (1998) is available for instant viewing. Good stuff.

Latka actually claimed to be from Caspiar, a small island in the Caspian Sea that sank.

Thank you very much.

Now I would like to do another imitation...of the Elvis Presley.

Not only should you, I demand it! Doing so is your sworn duty as a patriotic American. Combining it with "L@@K!!!" will fetch you extra brownie points.